Wall construction



Jan. 18, 1938; H. HOLDSWORTH 2,105,770

WALL CONSTRUCTI ON Filed Oct. 15, 1936 By A TORNEYS.

Patented Jan. 18, 1938 WALL CONSTRUCTION Harry Holdsworth, Bronxvllle,N. Y., assignor to Holdsworth Bros. Inc., New York,

poration or New York N. Y., a cor- Application October 15, 1936, SerialNo. 105,661

7 Claims.

My invention relates to a new and improved wall or partitionconstruction.

, One of the objects of the invention is to provide an improvedconstruction, which can be used for constructing interior walls orpartitions between rooms or which can also be used for constructing thefurring of the exterior wall of a building.

Another object of the invention is to provide improved means forsupporting metal lath or the like, for serving as a support for theplaster.

Another object of the invention is to provide a structure which willmake it unnecessary to construct the channels or other verticalsupporting means, to size.

Another object of the invention is to provide a construction whereby thechannels or other supporting members are held at their bases againstmovement in any direction, and the upper ends of said channels or othersupporting members are held so as to limit a turning movement in adirection parallel to the front or main wall of the channel.

Another object of the invention is to provide a structure which could bereadily installed at minimum cost and which will prevent moisture frompeeling or otherwise affecting the furring of an exterior wall or theplaster of the partition.

Other objects of my invention will be set forth in the followingdescription and drawing which illustrates a preferred embodimentthereof, it being understood that the above statement of the objects ofmy invention is intended generally to explain the same without limitingit in any manner.

Fig. 1 is a rear elevation showing a preferred form of construction.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view on the line 3-4 of Fig. 1. I

Fig. 4 is a sectional view in a horizontal plane, partially inelevation, showing the assembly between the base of the structure andthe channels.

Fig. 5 is a detail front elevation of the supporting base.

Fig. 6 is a general perspective view showing the assembly between thesupporting channel irons and the top member of the device.

Fig. '7 shows how the angle irons which support an exterior wall, andthe plaster covering of the wall, are spaced from the masonry of thebuilding.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, these show a wall I and a ceiling 2. Abase-3 is suitably connected tion, comprises channel irons 6.

As shown in Fig. 4 the width of the metal base 1 3 is substantiallyequal to the inside width of the channels 6. Hence the main wall 6a ofeach channel 8 fits quite snugly in a depression 4, and

' the inner surfaces of the side walls 6b of the channelsl snugly abutthe side surfaces of the 15 base 3.

Hence the bottom of each channel iron 6 is held against movement in anydirection. A suitable top member 1 is connected to the bottom surface ofthe ceiling 2 by means of nails or other securing devices.

As shown in Fig. 2 themember 1 is of angular shape, having a dependingvertical flange. At its top end, the wall 6a of each channel is providedwith a vertical cut-out or slot 8 which can be quite narrow. Thevertical flange of the member I projects into these slots which areprovided in the main walls 8a of the channels. The fit between saidflange and the vertical walls of slots 8 may be a loose fit. Hence thevertical flange of the member I is parallel to' the plane of the wall orpartition, and the walls 60. of the channels are perpendicular to theplane of the wall or partition.

The vertical flange of the member 1 is provided with openings 9 whichare formed by punching the metal of said vertical flange so as toproduce laterally projecting burrs at the inner face or outer face ofsaid vertical flange. When the assembly is made, these burrs projectlateral- 40 1y to a sufficient distance to contact with the oppositefaces of wall So, if the channel is tilted. The burrs therefore act asstop members so as to limit any tipping of the channel in a. directionperpendicular to the plane of the main wall in. The holes 9 are arrangedin pairs and each main wall 6a. is located between the holes of one ofsaid pairs. and close to said holes, so

' as to prevent the channel from being tilted too much.

The horizontal distance between each pair of holes 9 may besubstantially greater than the thickness of the wall So so as to producea loose assembly at the tops of the channel irons, while the burrs ofthe holes 9 prevent the channels 55 from tipping forwards or backwardstoo much.

The assembly is made by raising a channel until the vertical flange ofthe angle iron 1 enters the slot in each flange la. and then loweringthe channel until its bottom end flts in the base I. This assembly isextremely simple and convenient. The height of the vertical flange ofmember l is less than the heights of slots 8. This construction makesallowance for channels of different heights. Hence there is a verticalsliding flt between the upstanding members 6 of the wall or partition,and the corresponding base member and ceiling member, and said verticalsliding flt is operative to maintain said upstanding member 6 againstany'substantial tilting.

When the assembly has been completed, the side flanges 6b of the channelirons 8 form two aligned rows. Metal lath or the like can be connectedto one or both of these rows of side flanges. Any suitable open metalwork or mesh can be employed. Imperforate metal sheets can be used.

If the structure is to be used for forming an interior wall, the metallath M may be connected to both rows of flanges 0b, or to one of saidrows of flanges 6b.

The metal lath M is connected to the channels by means of tying wire W,which is wrapped around each of the channels and which passes throughsuitable openings of the metal lath. After this metal construction hasbeen completed, the plastering work can be done so as to form either ahollow-partition or a solid partition.

The top of the metal lath may extend up to the line H, but it is one ofthe important advantages of the construction that it is necessary tohave the top of the metal lath overlap the bottom of the vertical flangeof the angle iron I only slightly, and said metal lath may vary inheight.

Additional tying wire W which passes around the top ends of the channelsconnects the top of the metal lath to the angle iron I, through theopenings 9, so as to tie the top of each channel securely to thevertical flange of the angle iron and to the channels, and thus preventany tipping of the top ends of the channels. The plastering work iscompleted by covering the metal lath and the channels and the angle ironwith plaster.

If a solid partition wall is desired, it is more economical to providethe row of channel irons with metal lath only at one of the rows offlanges 6b. The plasterer then applies the so-called scratc coating tosaid metal lath so that said scratch coating penetrates through theholes of the lath. This scratch coating consists substantially of gypsumand sand.

After the scratch coating has hardened the plasterer can apply theflnishing or brown" coating to the scratch coating and he can thenplaster the wall at the other row of flanges D so as to make a solidpartition in which the channels and the angle iron are completelyimbedded.

If a hollow partition is desired, the metal lath is applied to both rowsof flanges 8b. The scratch coating is applied to the metal lath at bothsides of the partition wall, so that the scratch coating penetrates onlypartially into the space between the rows of lath, leaving a spacebetween the two rows of metal lath. After this scratch coating hashardened, the brown" or finishing coating is then applied.

If the construction is used for the exterior wall of a building, metallath is applied only to the inner flanges lb and the work is plastered.

The metal lath can be applied to the flanges 6b in the form of sheets ofsuitable length whose vertical edges overlap each other.

Heretofore, in making exterior walls, masonry has been applied to themetal skeleton of the building and the plaster work has been applieddirectly to the rear surface of the masonry. Therefore moisture whichpenetrated the masonry contacted directly with the plaster so as toenter or penetrate the wall. It has also been propwed to apply furringto the inner face of the masonry and to space the wall from saidfurring, and to connect the furring to the adjacent face of said wall,by means of intermediate members along which moisture could creep, aftersaid moisture had penetrated the outer wall of the furring.

According to the improved construction, and as shown in Fig. 7, the wallor partition is spaced wholly from the inner face of the masonry, inthat there are no intermediate members along which the moisture cancreep to contact with said wall.

In order to avoid limiting the invention unduly, it may be stated thatthe wall is spaced substantially wholly from the inner face of saidmasonry, in that there is a substantial absence of intermediate membersalong which the moisture can creep from the masonry to the wall.

According to the improved construction, the

- channel irons do not contact with the masonry and the plaster coatingis spaced wholly from the masonry, thus leaving an air space having aspace whose width may be as great as two inches to three inches, so thatthe moisture cannot traverse this intervening space.

The masonry of the building is designated by the reference letter B inFig. 7.

Likewise in making an interior or partition wall, it is desirable to usethe improved furring so as to prevent any contact between the end ofsuch interior partition wall and the masonry of the building.

Whenever I refer to channel irons, I do not wish to be limited to anyform of vertical supporting members, and I do not wish to be limited toan angle iron for completing the top of the metal construction. I

I have shown a preferred embodiment of my invention but it is clear thatnumerous changes and omissions can be made without departing from itsspirit.

I claim:

1. An improved wall construction for a room, said constructioncomprising a base member which is connected to the floor of the room,said base member having transverse recesses at the top thereof, saidrecesses being substantially perpendicular to the plane of the wall,channel irons having their main walls located in said recesses andhaving the inner surfaces of their side walls close to the longitudinaledges of said base member so that the bottom ends of the channel ironsare prevented from'substantially shifting relative to said base member,the main walls of said channel irons having vertical slots at the-topends of said main walls, a top member connected to the ceiling andhaving a vertical flange, said vertical flange being located in saidvertical slots.

2. An improved wall construction for a room, said constructioncomprising a base member which is connected to the floor of the mom,said base member having transverse recesses at the top thereof, saidrecesses being substantially perpendicular to the plane of the wall,channel irons having their main walls located in said recesses andhaving the inner surfaces of their side walls close to the longitudinaledges 01' said base member so that the bottom ends of the channel ironsare prevented from substantially shifting relative to said base member,the main walls oi said channel irons having vertical slots at the topends of said main walls, a top member connected to the ceiling andhaving a vertical flange, said vertical flange being located in saidvertical slots,

said vertical member having means to limit the tilting oi' the top endsof said channel irons.

3. An improved wall construction for a room, said constructioncomprising a base member which is connected to the floor of the room,said base member having transverse recesses at the top thereof, saidrecesses being substantially perpendicular to the plane of the wall,channel irons having their main walls located in said recesses andhaving the inner surfaces, of their side walls close to the longitudinaledges of said base member so that the bottom ends of the channel ironsare prevented from substantially shitting relative to said base member,the main walls of said channel irons having vertical slots at the topends oi said main walls, a top member connected to the ceiling andhaving a vertical flange, said vertical flange being located in saidvertical slots, the vertical flange of said top member having openingswhose walls are provided with burrs, the main wall of each channel ironbeing located between a pair of said burrs, said burrs being oisuflicient width to contact with the main wall of the intermediatechannel iron if said channel iron is tilted, so that said burrs areoperative as stop members to limit the tilting movement of saidintermediate channel iron.

4. An improved wall construction for a room, said constructioncomprising a base member which is connected to the floor of the room,said base member having transverse recesses at the top thereof, saidrecesses being substantially perpendicular to the plane of the wall,channel irons having their main walls located in said recesses andhaving the inner surfaces oi their side walls close to the longitudinaledges of said base member so that the bottom ends of the channel ironsare prevented from substantially shifting relative to said base member,the main walls of said channel irons having vertical slots at the topends of said main walls, a top member connected to the ceiling andhaving a vertical flange. said vertical flange being located in saidvertical slots, the vertical flange of said top member having openingswhose walls are provided with burrs, the main wall of each channel ironbeing located between a pair of said burrs, said burrs being ofsuiflcient width to contact with the main wall of the intermediatechannel ironii. said channel iron is tilted, so that said burrs areoperative as stop members to limit the tilting movement of saidintermediate channel iron, and perforated metal means connected to atleast one of the rows of side flanges of said channel members by meansof wire members which pass through said perforated metal means andaround said channel irons, some of said tying members also passingthrough said openings and around the upper ends of said channel irons.

5. A hollow partition wall for a room, said wall having a base member,said base member having its longitudinal axis parallel to the plane ofthe wall, said base member having spaced transverse recesses in the topthereof, channel irons having their lower ends associated with said basemember, each said channel iron comprising a main wall and two sidewalls, the main wall of each channel iron being located in one of saidrecesses and fitting substantially snugly therein, the side walls orsaid channel irons having their inner suri'aces close to the side edgesof said base member so that the lower ends of each channel iron are heldrelative to said base member so as to prevent any substantial shiftingbetween said lower ends and said base member, the upper ends 01' themain walls of said channel irons having vertical slots, an angle ironconnected to the underside oi the ceiling and having a vertical flange,said vertical flange being located in said vertical slots, the bottomedge of said vertical flange being spaced from the bottom walls of saidslots, said vertical flange having openings whose edges are providedwith burrs, the upper end of the main wall of each channel iron beinglocated between a pair oi. said burrs, said burrs being suflicientlyclose to the upper end of the main wall of the intermediate channel ironand said burrs being of sufllcient width so as to limit the tiltingmovement or the upper end of the intermediate channel iron, sheets ofmetal lath connected continuously to at least one of the rows of sideflanges of said channel irons, the upper edges of said sheetsoverlapping the bottom edge of said vertical flange, tying wire memberspassing around said channel irons and through said sheets, some of saidtying wire members passing through said openings and around theintermediate channel irons, said sheets having finishing coatings ofplaster, said finishing coatings of plaster extending only partiallyinto the spaces between said sheets, so as to form a partition wallhaving an air space.

6. A wall construction for a room having a floor and a ceiling, saidwall construction including a base member and a ceiling member, saidwall construction also including upstanding wall-supports whose' heightis less than the maximum vertical distance between said base member andsaid ceiling member, said upstanding wall supports being located betweensaid base member and said ceiling member, said wail supports beingvertically movable relative to said base member and to said ceilingmember when said wall supports are assembled with said base member andsaid ceiling member, and means operative to prevent any substantialtilting movement of said wail supports from their predeterminedupstanding position.

7. A wall construction for a room having a floor and a ceiling, saidwall construction including a base member and a ceiling member, saidwall construction also including upstanding wall supports whose heightis less than the maximum vertical distance between said base member andsaid ceiling member, said upstanding wall supports being located betweensaid base member and said ceiling member, said wall supports beingvertically movable relative to said base member and to said ceilingmember when said wall supports are assembled with said base member andsaid ceiling member, said base member and said DISCLAIMER2,105,770.-Harry Holdsworth, Bronxville, N. Y. WALL CONSTRUCTION. Patentdated January 13, 1938. Disclaimer filed November 2, 1939, by theassignee, Milcor Steel Company.

Hereby makes disclaimer as to claims 6 and 7 as follows:

(a) As to claim 6, except a wall construction for a room in which theceiling member com rises a vertical depending perforated flange, oneside of which is overlapped by metal lathing.

(b) As to claim 7, except a wall construction for a room in which thebase member is composed of a longitudinal strip having recesses toreceive the lower ends of the webs of channel wall supports, the flangesof the channel wall supports overlapping the base member ad'acent therecesses.

' Gazette November 28, 1939.]

